Joystick Controls instead of TX??

[tcrloan]

I would like to control my rc plane with a joystick like the Saitek. Is there such a way of doing that safely?

[Nimski]

I've done exactly that using a Saitek X52 and it wasn't pleasant. The setup I had was an autopilot onboard the plane connecting using an aerocomm AC4790 to the ground station software and the joystick signals going up to the RC plane.

When the autopilot wasn't engaged, manual flight was possible using the joystick but felt very unpleasant. Granted, the update rate that I had on the servos wasn't much because I needed the bandwidth for other commands being sent to the autopilot and also a great deal of telemetry downlink.

I had a safety switch using one of the extra channels on my RC transmitter and I would recommend this because things can go awry.

[gow589]

Planing on making first flight soon with flying box. Using radio modem controlled from joystick through a computer program written from visual basic.

Some what complicated. Hard to beet an r/c radio!

[lvspark]

radio modems and servo controller www.rsnw.com/sss.wmv

[mhpilot]

check out www.endurance-rc.com

the PCTx-PC interface is awsome, you can convert your 4ch rc into a 9ch and it's as simple as plugging the unit in to your PC and transmitter, do some software calibration and then you are on your way!

[tcrloan]

check out www.endurance-rc.com

the PCTx-PC interface is awsome, you can convert your 4ch rc into a 9ch and it's as simple as plugging the unit in to your PC and transmitter, do some software calibration and then you are on your way!


Has anyone used it successfully???

[gow589]

One thing I found with joy sticks is one has a new found respect for the ability to control a device from an rc radio. The joy stick will drop your ability to control an airplane 10fold; which is ok depending on what your goal is.

Joy stick is better for an rc in autopilot mode or with gyro backup.

Having said that it did not stop me from doing so with mine. It is a hobby and experimenting is part of the game.

I wanted a joy stick because I wanted to develop a more aircraft like environment; especially with a cockpit reproduction craft I had.

I also moved to computer based flying because there were some things I was unable to do with mixing functions on radios. I started by receiving commands into the oopic and then sending them out but the servo update was too slow. I broke down the rc commands with a PAKII chip then fed the values into the oopic.

In the end the PC and a modem-servo controller worked best for me.

http://www.rc-tech.net/per2/space1s.jpg

[bmw330i]

I would like to control my rc plane with a joystick like the Saitek. Is there such a way of doing that safely?
Yes, if you use Paparazzi Project solution (from their FAQ): http://paparazzi.enac.fr/wiki/FAQ#Can_a_gamepad.2Fjoystick_be_used_to_control_th e_aircraft_through_the_modem.3F
Research: http://paparazzi.enac.fr/
Academics and now hobbyists have been building and flying Paparazzi projects for years now. It's proven, wins top 3 in each year's UAV contests and is extensible, complete (includes a GUI configuration tool, log player and ground control station). All the source code is given with updates continuously via subversion.
Only downside I have found is you'll be quickly labeled a zealot by some here for going to the dark side (using Linux instead of Windows) and if you are enthusiastic (as most are) about your experience with the Paparazzi project.
-David

[Myron]

I have flown using an autopilot and the Saitek controller as well.. We were using the Extend radio modem from Maxstream and a laptop.. I didnt care to much for the feel of the systems either.. There is some latency and the servo control was not any where near as smooth and precise as a stand alone RC system.

Myron

[rich smith]

I would like to control my rc plane with a joystick like the Saitek. Is there such a way of doing that safely?


Here is cheap hardware design and PC open source joystick code:

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1041252

[gow589]

I began going down this path over 10 years ago. At the time the best solution for me was to pull a radio apart and make basically a buddy box joy stick. This could still be done with minimal electronics understanding or any programing understanding. I was also able to tie in head movement to to control camera movement using some crude techniques:

http://www.rc-tech.net/per2/cameraplane/bbjoy1.jpg

http://www.rc-tech.net/per2/cameraplane/bbjoy2.jpg

This made it apparent very quickly that anything more aggressive then a trainer was difficult to fly and demonstrated just how good a R/C radio is.

Latter as I learned some programing reading joysticks through HID drivers created a limitless amount of possibilities. Right now the program I am working with is simple but it displays:

1. Position of each joystick input (upper left)
2. Calculated output of each channel shown in large easy to see colors (right half)
3. Trim locations, values (lower left)
4. Trim sensitivities (center)
5. Joystick on, off
6. Radio modem on (enabled only when joy stick on, and locks out joy stick off).


http://www.rc-tech.net/per2/cameraplane/disp.jpg

Seems crude but lends itself to exactly the mixing, control and display I need for a project.

Next step will be creating more instrumentation. This I made for an engine test stand:

http://www.rc-tech.net/cars/TestStand/gp.jpg

If your in to programing the world becomes the limit on what you can do. Before the 4 motor box seen above this was the plane I fed the camera back to I had hoped to build a "Cockpit" for through the computer and controls. The more I can do with programing the more this may be realized:

http://www.rc-tech.net/per2/cameraplane/

[gow589]

What I meant to say, and forgot to say, was I would like to see the R/C radio manufactures make some flying station/buddy box's.

[gow589]

This is the joy stick I am using for this:


http://hurbania.com/clickseguro/images/LOG-TWISTHANDLE.jpg

[mrbrt]

why do you guys say that the controls aren't on par with RC? If its because of the sensitivity/noise in the joysticks, a better joystick with less jitter or some post processing (averaging the jitter) would fix that. Ive been wanting to have a setup like this (joystick -> Laptop (video + telemetry) < -> plane for a while, and don't see why it would be any different than using standard RC controls. I use an emulator for my RealFlight G4.5 so that I can use my standard joysticks and I dont feel any difference than in using the stock controller.

[gow589]

Well, to clarify, if you fly it like a subtle airplane, like a UAV then it would be fine. Except for scale non aerobatic flight R/C's are seldom flown like real airplanes (more like toys). The ability to move and position the stick with your fingers is quicker and more precise then doing so with large wrist movements. Even in flight sim or a program like that if I fly an ILS I move my wrist to the base and fly the joystick with my fingers; like you would an R/C transmitter.

People I have seen fly models with joy sticks always look like there is a struggle flying the craft. If the movement is minimal joy sticks I think can be more precise but often the models are flown with much more extreme movement where the wrist is not as precise and effective as the fingers.

I am not putting down joy sticks or suggesting you shouldn't do it. I am for all experiences. When we fly scale models we try to make it as scale as possible. A joy stick is certainly the next step or level.

[tcrloan]

I use an emulator for my RealFlight G4.5 so that I can use my standard joysticks and I dont feel any difference than in using the stock controller.

How do you hook up the joystick to G4.5??? I called and support said I could not.

[jppizhere]

You might take a look over in the DIY Electonics sections, several threads on using joystick control as well as use of radio modems, etc.

[tcrloan]

Will that show me how to use it in G4.5??

[gow589]

One thing I think I will add to my programing next is exponential. I think they will help a lot with a stick.

[mrbrt]

tcrloan, fire me off a PM and I'll show you how to hook up any joystick. You don't need any external circuitry or cables.

[Apep]

http://www.uavnet.com/DL/Document_Library/Eilat_2005_Meeting/GCS_joystick_Mouritsen.pdf
http://amsdottorato.cib.unibo.it/439/1/Tesi_RUAV.pdf.pdf

[Airboatflyingshp]

Theres a guy in Gliders whose added a jostick to his TX simply because he had unrully thumbs.